When Pulaski orders Picard to go to Starbase
515 for an as-yet unspecified medical procedure,
he joins Wesley, who is going to the base for
Starfleet exams, in a shuttle. Just as they go out
of range, the Enterprise picks up a distress
signal in the nearby Rhomboid-Dranagar sector
and answer it.

They find the Pakleds, a seemingly slow race
who are lucky to have space travel in the first
place. When they say their ship is "broken",
Geordi, amused, beams over to help (over the
objections of Worf, who does not want to risk the
Chief Engineer). Meanwhile, Picard starts
talking to Wes, and begins by complaining about
his upcoming cardiac replacement, which he
considers a waste of time.

Geordi finds repairs are not as easy as he
thought, since as soon as one system is fixed,
another dies. Eventually, he has everything
fixed-but then, the Pakleds take his own phaser,
stun him, and take him hostage. As Riker puts
the ship on alert, Picard continues talking to
Wes, including his story of a long-gone bar brawl
which caused him to need this cardiac
replacement in the first place. Later, when
Geordi wakes up, he finds the Pakleds
demanding weapons and advanced technology.
Before long, the Pakleds hail the Enterprise, and
demand all the information stored in the
Enterprise computers.

As Picard, having reached the starbase and
entered what is known to some fans as the
"Cardinal Center for Cardiac Corrections"
(everyone's dressed in crimson), goes "under the
knife", Data finds that the Pakleds have
advanced as far as they have by stealing
technology. Riker suggests a ruse, and enlists
the crew to help convey covertly to Geordi that
he should give them weapons, then take them
away at the right moment.

Unfortunately, Picard's operation is going badly.
He is dying, and the only person qualified to help
him is Pulaski. The Enterprise hurriedly
implements their ruse to save Geordi. Geordi
gives them photon torpedoes, then, while
pretending to come over to their side and help,
disarms them just as the Enterprise discharges
their hydrogen exhaust, which Geordi tells the
Pakleds was the "Crimson Forcefield", which
disarmed them. Geordi returns to the
Enterprise, which arrives at the C.C.C.C. in time
for Pulaski to save Picard.

Highlight Listing:

"Samaritan Snare" - While Picard fights for his life in surgery, Geordi is held hostage by the leaders of an alien race.

Advertising Headline:

EMERGENCY ON THE ENTERPRISE! Picard fights for his life as a hostage crisis threatens the crew.

TV log listing:

Crew fights to save Geordi and Picard on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.

Wesley opens a communications channel and says that Shuttle #2 is ready for takeoff. However, in the following scene, when the shuttle is seen powering up, there is a "01" on the outside of the shuttle. Oops. (UV)